Ramaphosa caught on tape! – Presidency says he was unaware [AUDIO]

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Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office says he was unaware he was being recorded in a leaked audio from an ANC caucus meeting about the Democratic Alliance (DA).

In the seven-minute recording, Ramaphosa remarked that the DA had placed itself in a difficult position and needed to resolve the situation independently.

Ramaphosa criticised the DA for trying to act as both a governing party and an opposition force simultaneously.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile echoed this sentiment, saying that if the DA rejected the budget, it would effectively be removing itself from the GNU.

The leak surfaced hours before Parliament voted on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s revised budget, which included a 0.5% VAT hike.

Despite opposition, the ANC, with support from smaller parties, secured 194 votes to pass the budget against 182 opposing votes.

Ramaphosa was heard saying that an adversary should not be interrupted when making a mistake, implying that the DA had boxed itself into a corner. He indicated that if the DA voted against the budget, it would effectively exclude itself from the Government of National Unity (GNU).

He also mentioned that DA leader John Steenhuisen had reached out to him, questioning the party’s next move, to which Ramaphosa responded that the decision rested with the DA.

According to The Citizen, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Ramaphosa was engaged in a political discussion and unaware of the recording.

He said that while leaks were a persistent issue within the ANC and Cabinet, they did not change Ramaphosa’s commitment to the GNU.

“He was engaged in a political discussion with his colleagues, or comrades as it were, and there was nothing that’s particularly offensive with what he said,” the report quoted Magwenya as saying.

He added, “He is well aware of the terrible culture of leaking information from his own party. But we have also seen that horrible practice in Cabinet recently.”

Following the budget’s passage, the DA announced plans to challenge its approval in the Western Cape High Court, with Helen Zille leading the legal action.

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